A target tracking system typically receives measurements of a target from a sensor, for example, a camera, an antenna or other measurement devices. The tracking system may then use the received sensor measurements in order to estimate the state of the target. The state of the target may consist of, for example, the position and velocity of the target, and may also include acceleration, turning rate, the size of the target etc.
A model-based target tracking system may utilize a model of a target's dynamics in order to stabilize the tracking of the target. A model for a target that travels with constant velocity, that is, along a straight line, is relatively simple. However, such a non-manoeuvring target model is not valid for a manoeuvring target.
The tracking of a manoeuvring target with a target tracking system arranged to track non-manoeuvring targets presents a number of problems. First, there is a risk that the tracking filter in the target tracking system may start to diverge and become numerically unstable. Secondly, the tracking filter in the target tracking system may start to produce erroneous, but perhaps realistic estimates of, for example, the position of the target and the uncertainty of the tracking filter parameters. This may result in that other systems which are using the target tracking system outputs may receive misguiding target information. This may be particularly critical if said target tracking system is implemented in, for example, a collision avoidance system or other similar guidance systems.
Target tracking systems designed to track manoeuvring targets are known. However, they often have a high computational complexity and are difficult to implement.